Cognito Brewery's tap room is expected to open Nov. 1 in Merrillville

Merrillville brewer Dewayne Williams has found a location to open a tap room to compliment his Cognito Brewery.

Williams received a positive Board of Zoning Appeals recommendation Sept. 26 to operate a 30-seat tap room at 8618-8622 Louisiana Place, the second site Williams took to the BZA for approval in four months.

He said the lease for the first site fell through.

Williams said the tap room will be adjacent to the brewery, which has been in operation at 1442 E. 85th Place since August 2017.

He said he plans to open the tap room on Nov. 1.

He still needs Town Council approval.

“I feel confident that this will be a great space for us,” Williams said. “It wasn’t available to us before.”

He said in-house and guest craft beers and some food will be served from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Williams said at a previous meeting that he makes a Belgian blond ale and Belgian dubel, as well as a Mexican cerveza, all of which will be served in the tasting room.

In other matters, the board approved a 30-day deferral on a request to serve beer, wine and sandwiches at Z’s Shakes and Cakes, a bakery and milkshake shop located in the former Spill the Beans coffee shop at 7992 Broadway.

Zoning director Sheila Shine said petitioner La Shun Taylor indicated customers have been requesting that beer and wine be added to the bakery’s menu.